Railroad-tie.



No. 699,115. Patented Apr. 29, I902.

Z. G. ROBBINS. RAILROAD TIE.

(Application fild Jan. 14, 3.902.)

(No Model.)

Wilma/mo a w f M 3 E ZGIZQ/S 011 305501216 UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFIGE.

ZENAS O. ROBBINS, OF WASHINGTON,-DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA.v

RAILROAD-TIE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,015, dated April 29, 1902.

Application filed January 14, 1902. Serial No. 89,689. on model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ZENAS O. ROBBINS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have inthe object of the invention is to provide simple, durable, and efficient means for the securing of the rails of a railway in the road-bed thereof at a considerably less expense than is the case with the means now employed.

A further object of my invention is to facilitate track and'road-bed repair and to accomplish the same with a minimum amount of labor and at a reduced cost.

It is a well-known fact among railroad men that one of the largest items of expenditure in the road repair and construction department is the outlay for cross-ties or sleepers. The life of a cross-tie varies in length of time, being largely dependent upon the character of the road-bed in which it is laid; but experience has proved that the best selected wood ties generally have to be replaced every four years. The cost oftimber has muchincreased in recent years, and the increased weight of the rails androlling-stocknow used shortens the life of the ties and makes constant repairs and replacement necessary.

My device is designed to meet these new conditions and previously-noted objects; and the invention consists ofvthe peculiar construction and arrangement of parts,'as hereinafter more fully disclosed, and particularly pointed out by the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a plan view showing my device applied to a railroad-bed with the rails secured thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken on line w as of Fig. 1.

In carrying out my inveutionI employ a pair of bearing-blocks 1, of wood or any suitable material, and metal strips or bars 2, in conjunction with the ordinary cross-ties and rails of a railroad.

In the application of my device the roadbedis prepared and graded in any suitable or preferred manner with or without broken stone or other ballast, and the ties are bedded therein, with the exception that only one-half the usual number of ties required to properly secure the rails in the road-bed isused, the space between eachpair of the ordinaryties, Where usually another tie would be required, being occupied by two of my bearing-blocks, one placed on each side of the road-bed in such manner that a rail will have its bearingpoint at about the center of each of said blocks. These bearing-blocks may be made of wood or other suitable material and are cut of a length equal to one-third the length of the ordinary tie. To securely fix the blocks in place against longitudinal or lateral movement and to furnish a continuous bearingsurface for the rails, said blocks are connected by two strips or bars of steel or other metal extending, preferably, longitudinally parallel with said rails and screwed, spiked, or otherwise secured to each bearing-block and tie. Thus it will be seen that the ties and bearing-blocks are firmly held and combined, and with said strip or bar'the combination forms a most durable and practically continuous bearing-surface for the rails.

The advantages which my invention presents in simplifying and cheapening repair service are obvious, as where under the old system when a tie had decayed it was necessary to pull the whole tie out and replace it with a 'new one when one of my bearingblocks becomes unfit for use it can be readily withdrawn and replaced by a new one without disturbing the opposite bearing -block. Also where only a part of the ordinary tie is decayed the sound portion thereof can be cut oil in suitable lengths and used again for bearing-blocks, whereas under the old system if a tie was partly decayed the whole tie was condemned, thus entailing in the aggregate a large loss.

As previously noted, theitem of ties is a large one in the expenses of a railroad, and the saving effected by the use of my-invention by reason -"of its simplified and cheapened construction would be very great.

I claim- 1. In means for securing railroad-rails in a V road-bed, the combination of bearing-blocks placed between adjacent ties, independent blocks and ties, and rails secured to said ties IO means for securing said bearing-blocks andbearing-blocks,substantially as set forth.

against longitudinal oi'lateral displacement, In testimony whereof I affix my signature and rails secured to said ties and bearingin presence of two witnesses. blocks, substantially as set forth. ZENAS C ROBBINS.

2. In means for securing railway-rails in a road-bed, the combination of bearing-blocks \Vitnesses: placed between adjacent ties, metal strips Ol EDWIN B. H. TOWER, J1'., bars secured to and connecting said bearing- HENRY E. COOPER. 

